|
It’s ultrathin, ultraportable, and ultra unlike anything else. Apple’s new Macbook Air, which debuted in late January, has been streamlined, and then streamlined again.
That’s except for the things that shouldn't be, starting with the full-size, backlit keyboard and 13.3-inch widescreen display. On the inside (yes, there's an inside), it boasts an Intel Core 2 Duo processor that's 60 percent smaller than previous Core Duos, 2GB of memory, and amazing wireless capabilities.
The MacBook Air measures 0.16 to 0.76 inches thick by 12.8 inches wide by 8.94 inches deep, and weighs 3 pounds. During his keynote speech introducing it, Apple CEO Steve Jobs slipped the machine into a manila envelope to demonstrate its small size.
In a nod toward greener computing, the MacBook Air boasts an aluminum shell and a mercury-free display with arsenic-free glass. It also comes with an enlarged touch-pad, equipped with an iPhone-like multitouch interface.
The MacBook Air does away with an optical drive and ships with USB 2.0, Micro DVI and audio out ports, alongside Apple's MagSafe power connector. Optional dongle adapters add Ethernet support through the USB port, or S-Video and VGA output through the DVI port. The unit sports 802.11n and Bluetooth wireless connectivity.
The new MacBook Air starts at $1,799, but the base model ships with a 4,200-rpm hard drive. There's an optional 64GB solid-state drive, but it adds $999 to the cost.
|
